Braille
by Fathomed.Reality
Summary: DMxHG. A party gone terribly wrong at the end of 6th year leaves Hermione friendless, terrified, and permanently labeled as the school slut. Full summary inside. R&R! Put on hold for a while, sorry guys.


**FULL SUMMARY:  
**  
DMxHG. A party gone terribly wrong at the end of 6th year leaves Hermione friendless, terrified, and permanently labeled as the school slut. Now in 7th year, Hermione's peers have hardly forgotten what they believe to have happened, and they're not about to let her live it down. In addition, she's stuck being Head Girl, which wouldn't be too bad… only, Draco Malfoy is Head Boy. How can she possibly get through the school year with her head held high, let alone keep her wits about her?

WOO! My first chapter of my first fic. Happy, happy, happy day.  
Lets hope you like it.  
Oh! And, I don't own Harry Potter. Because if I did, I'd be extremely rich. And I'd be J.K. Rowling. Which I'm not. So no prosecuting me. :D

* * *

Hermione: 

I start my first day of 7th Year at Hogwarts with a bad attitude, the school uniform everyone loves to hate, and absolutely no friends. Spectacular.

I'm in the backseat of my parent's old car. We're on our way to Kings Cross, which is about 30 minutes away from our house. My dad is listening to the radio, and attempting to sing along to the American Oldies song that's playing. My mom is trying to read, with no luck, thanks to my dad's obnoxious screeching. I am staring out the window, watching the houses and cars come and go, but not really seeing them. In reality I'm deep in thought. I think about how things used to be, before the summer. Before everything, when I was happy with my life.

My thoughts are interrupted by my father singing to me. "Her-mi-on-eeee, we're hereeee!"

I sigh, and get out of the car. It's much colder than I expected. I'm only in a white knee length cloth skirt, and a brown polo shirt. My mother, unfortunately, notices my shivering.

"Hermione, why are you shivering? It's not that cold out, honey. It's probably because you're so skinny. Have you been eating?"

I close my eyes. I hate having to talk about this. I've been making excuses up all summer, and I'm running out of ideas. "Of course I've been eating, Mom. I'm just cold. It must be my metabolism or something."

My mom calms down a bit, but she's still giving me anxious glances. I roll my eyes. My parents are so out of it. Does metabolism have anything even remotely connected to body temperature? I don't even know. I hate having to lie to my parents, but I can't tell them. I can't tell anyone.

Once we get to Platform 9 ¾, I look around. There aren't many students here yet, since it's only 9:30 and the train leaves at 11:00. My parents have a thing about being abnormally early. I see a few familiar faces, including Lavender Brown, Susan Bones, Terry Boot, and -ew- Draco Malfoy. Why in Merlin's name is he here this early? He is accompanied by his father. Lucius sees me, and starts to walk my way. Outstanding. I rush to get my parents out of here, but they fail to notice the urgency in my voice, brushing it off as 'hormones' or 'it looks like someone is about to start their you-know-what!'. Thankfully, Lucius and Draco are not on a quest to make my day as worse as possible, but are going to talk to one of the attendants. Although, Draco does whisper 'Mudblood' as he passes me. Ah, well. No real damage done.

My parents help me load my luggage onto the train, and I bid them goodbye. My mom is already in tears. She gives me a huge hug, and tells me to write her. I agree. I get onto the train, and choose a compartment that looks comfortable. Seeing as though I don't have anything to do, I get out a book and start reading.

Awhile later, a noise startles me, and I look up from my book. Harry and Ron have just opened the compartment door, and judging by the look on their pale-white faces, they certainly weren't expecting me to be in here. Harry mumbles an apology, blushes, and looks away. However, Ron continues to look at me. We stare at each other for what seemed like an hour before they left. When they do leave, I calmly take out my wand, use a locking and silencing spell for the compartment door, and promptly start sobbing. Memories start to flood back into my mind, no matter how much I want them to disappear.

"_Hermione..."_

"_Yes, Ron?"_

"_I love you."_

"_Um, Ron, have you been drinking?"_

"_No. I mean yes. But that doesn't matter. I love you."_

"_Ron, you're drunk. Let's get out of my room, and go back to the party."_

"_But I love you!"_

"_Yes Ron, we've already established that. You're also drunk. Let's see how you feel tomorrow morning."_

"_Let me convince you-"_

"_No! Ron, just what do you think you're doing?"_

"_Stay still- Immobulus! Hermione, I love you. And whether you like it or not, I'm going to prove it."_

It's an hour before I finally start to calm myself down. I release the silencing and locking charms, and check my watch. It's 11:20. I need to go see Professor McGonagall for Heads business. As everyone expected, I was chosen to be Head Girl. However, I never asked about Head Boy. Must have slipped my mind.

I arrive in the correct compartment 10 minutes later. Malfoy is already in there, accompanied by a stern-faced McGonagall. Wait, Mafoy is Head Boy? Good God. What has this world come to? McGonagall asks me why I'm late, and I suddenly find the floor very fascinating. Our conversation goes a little something like this:

McGonagall: Miss Granger, are you aware that you are 10 minutes late?

Me: ….

McGonagall: Pardon, Miss Granger?

Me: Yes, Professor.

McGonagall: Why,exactly, are you 10 minutes late?

Me: ….

McGonagall: _Pardon,_ Miss Granger?

Me: I was, er, sleeping.

McGonagall: That will be enough. Please take a seat.

While McGonagall is explaining the Head duties to me and Malfoy, I catch his eye. He smirks at me. I kick him in the shin. He gives me the finger. I give him the finger back. McGonagall sees.

Shit.

"_Miss Granger!_ What exactly do you think you're _doing_?"

"Oh, um, you see, I was showing _Draco_ here my new ring. Isn't it lovely?"

"…Miss Granger, you don't have a ring on."

Double shit.

I say the first thing that pops in my mind. "Oh! I thought you might say that. Did I forget to mention that it's a very special ring, Professor? It's invisible!"

McGonagall gives me a look suggesting that I should pay a visit to St.Mungo's psychiatric ward. I smile at her.

"Well, if you two are quite through with showing each other your …invisible jewelry, you may return to your compartments. I will escort you to your dormitory after the feast has ended."

We stand up and shake McGonagall's hand, step outside the compartment we're in, and head back to our own compartments, with me going left, Malfoy heading right. Once I get to my compartment, I suddenly feel very tired. I stretch out on the couch, and grab a book to read.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

I'm in the woods, running. I notice how it's extremely misty it is here, a blanket of fog covering everything in its path. I can only see 2 feet in front of me. I'm freezing, and a cold sweat has coated my body. The trees are extremely dense, and light cannot find its way through the endless amount of leaves and brush. My chest feels like it's about to burst from running so much. I concentrate on running; concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. But it doesn't seem to help. I can feel goosebumps sprouting on my skin; someone is with me. Someone bad. Suddenly, I trip on a fallen branch, and fall to the ground. My eyes slam shut. I feel something wet and sticky on my hands. Blood. Oh, _ew_.

"Hermione…" someone whispers from behind me. I think it's a male voice, though I'm not sure. Right now, I just want to get away from whoever it is. I try to open my eyes, to turn and look, but it's like my eyelids have been sewn shut, like I can't move. I listen harder, but I don't hear anything but the soft twitter of birds in the distance. I take a deep breath to calm the rapid beating in my chest. Unfortunately, it doesn't really work.

"Don't tell anyone," the voice continues. I now recognize that voice. It's Ron. What the _hell_ is Ron doing here?

"Ron?" I want to ask, but it's like I can't speak, either. I can feel my lips moving, but no noise is escaping.

"If you tell, I'll know." He's getting closer now; I can feel his breath, like icicles against the back of my neck. "If you tell, I'll make you pay."

I go to swat behind me, but it's like I'm literally frozen in place. My teeth chatter, my jaw tremors, and my skin stings from the chill. I listen hard for something else and try to breathe my fear away, but it's almost as if my lungs have filled with ice droplets, making each breath harder, colder, shallower.

After a few seconds, I don't hear anything but the cold. I wonder if he's gone, if he's left me here to freeze to death.

"I'm here Hermione," he whispers, like he's reading my thoughts. That's when darkness encompasses over everything, and I let out the most blood-curdling scream I can manage.

When I am finally able to open my eyes, I'm greeted by 15 curious people in the compartment, looking at me with worry. I don't recognize any of them, though. I'm not surprised, seeing as though everyone who knows me hates me with a fiery passion. Comforting.

Professor McGonagall makes her way through the growing crowd, and takes my wrist. She leads me through the maze of people, back to the Head's compartment. She's completely silent the whole way there, despite my constant babbling. One we get to the Head's compartment, she finally lets go of my wrist, which is starting to throb.

"Miss Granger, kindly explained what happened back there," McGonagall says, with a slight trace of nervousness in her voice.

"I… I just had a nightmare, that's all Professor. Really,"

"So you are telling me… you do not know what you were doing?"

"Professor, I was sleeping. It's not a big deal, really. It's fine. I'm fine."

"Yes, Miss Granger, it _is_ a big deal when the Head Girl of Hogwarts is found screaming and essentially having convulsions on the floor of her compartment. You will be escorted by the Head Boy to the Hospital Wing once I have showed you to your dormitories."

My mind is fried. I have a head rush. I can't think. Convulsions? Hospital Wing? Head Boy? Escort..?

Once I get my thinking straight, I open my mouth in disbelief. _Malfoy_ is taking me to the Hospital Wing? Uh, no way lady. Over my dead body. You know, scratch that. I don't want to give him any ideas.

Protest time!

"Professor! Honestly, I don't need to be escorted anywhere. I'm _fine_, I just had a bad dream. I'm okay, I promise."

She gives me a stern look, but surrenders. "Very well, Miss Granger. However, if I hear one word about you doing this again, you will be in the Hospital Wing faster than you can say 'Pumpkin Juice'. I must take my leave, you may stay here if you like, or you may go back to your compartment. I will see you after the feast." With a firm head nod, she stiffly walks out the door, sliding it behind her.

I can't possibly fall asleep again, in fear I'll have another nightmare, so I read over a parchment I recently got in the mail, roughly explaining what being Head Girl is all about. Mostly, it's about setting a good example, encouraging unity between the four houses, blah blah blah. Whatever. With Draco Malfoy as Head Boy, I seriously doubt there will be any kind of 'unity' between us. We arrive at Hogwarts in relative peace, a few hours later.

The feast is wonderful, as always. I think about all the mutterings I heard, all the glares I received in the short but bitter trip to the Gryffindor table, where there I was glared at even more. I'm busy staring at my plate like its grown legs and done a little dance for me, not daring to glance at anyone, while everyone else is laughing and enjoying their food. It's not fair... They don't know what happened, no one does, no one… Except him. He, who successfully ruined my life as I know it; He, who made everybody I love turn against me. Hell, even people I don't love have turned against me. And it sucks, majorly.  
I shake my head in an attempt to rid myself of these thoughts; it's really no use to be wallowing in self pity. What's done is done.

The food suddenly disappears from my plate, followed by a gasp from all first years. I let myself smile. It feels nice, being able to smile at least a little. By now, most of the students have left the Great Hall. I look towards the staff table, and catch McGonagall's eye. She nods, and stands from her chair. Malfoy and I follow suit, and she leads us out the Great Hall doors, up a small staircase, through a hallway, to the spiral staircases, and up to the fourth floor. The library is on this floor, and I have a feeling this was not coincidence, but the work of an aged wizard who happens to be the headmaster. Once we get to the fourth floor, she leads us to a vast portrait of a plump woman. She's rather homely, with bushy eyebrows and a square shaped face. She seems nice, though. She smiles at me and Malfoy, and shares a look with McGonagall.

"This is the entrance to your dormitories. The password is taradiddle," McGonagall says to us, and before walking off, with a slight edge in her voice, "Professor Dumbledore chose it himself."

I smile. McGonagall can't have fun to save her life, bless her soul. The lady in the portrait smiles at me.

"Hello, deary! My name is Muriel."

"Hello, my name is Hermione Granger, and this is Draco Malfoy. It's very nice to meet you."

Malfoy throws a disgusted look at Muriel. "We have to look at _that_ all year? I think I may be sick,"

Muriel casts him an unpleasant look, but she doesn't seem too phased by his stupidity. I elbow him in the chest.

"Ouch, Granger! The school year has hardly begun and already you're trying to slaughter me."

"Although slaughter would be pretty damn fun Malfoy, I'm afraid I can't. It would be too messy, I'd have to get out the mop and clean it all up, people would wonder where you were, I'd have to tell them you fled to Peru, and quite honestly, you're really not worth the hassle."

"Whatever. Let's go in already! Taradiddle!" Muriel gives Malfoy one last dirty look before swinging open. I gasp when I step inside.

The common area of our dorm is extravagant. The carpet is a deep, maroon-like red, and the walls are a royal purple. On our left, lining the walls are bookcases, each crammed with different sized books of every kind. To our right is a wall, with an archway. I walk through the arch and am greeted by a small kitchen, with a few cupboards, a fridge, an oven, a coffee maker, and a small, circular breakfast table with four chairs encircling it. It's not big, but I like it. It reminds me of home. I look to my left and see another archway leading out of the kitchen. It leads to the living area.

There's a huge fireplace, and three white sofas, one directly facing the fireplace; two are placed sideways, facing each other. In the middle of the sofa area is a glass coffee table. I walk over and run my fingers across the sofa fabric. It seems more comfortable than my bed at home. I look back towards the portrait entrance to see Malfoy's reaction to our extraordinary dormitory, but he's already gone to explore the mini library. To the right of the fireplace, there's a door. Thinking it's my room, I walk inside. It's not. It's the loo, and even _this_ is fancy. There's a big shower, and a toilet that looks suspiciously like it's made out of marble. There's a huge mirror, with marble countertops underneath it. On the left side of the countertop, my toiletries have already been placed. I look to the right side. Dear Merlin. The boy has more stuff than I do. At this time, Malfoy walks in from a door on the left.

"I found your room, Granger. It's really ugly. Almost as ugly as you."

I ignore this comment, and point to his side of the counter. "Have enough beauty supplies, Malfoy?"

"I have to keep this face beautiful. Even though it's already naturally good-looking. You, on the other hand, may want to buy some more beauty products. You could really use a makeover. And a gym subscription. You're getting a little chunky, mudblood. "

My eyes widen in rage. "You are such an insufferable, disgusting, self-loving git!" I yell in exasperation once more, and push past Malfoy into my room. Once I'm inside, I don't pay attention to how 'ugly' the room is, I only concentrate on locking the door to the bathroom for some privacy from the git. When I turn around and actually look at the room, I almost forget how mad I am.

Almost.

To the very contrary of what Malfoy said, my room is absolutely stunning. It has the same red carpeted floor and purple walls as the common area. There's a four-poster bed, with silk pillows and comfortable looking bed sheets. There's a wooden wardrobe, and it looks as if my clothes have already been unpacked. On the eastern wall, there is a massive window, taking up five feet across, and stretching from the ceiling to the floor. Next to the window is a white grand piano. I gasp in joy and awe. Dumbledore is a brilliant man.

I look at the clock; it's nearly ten. I need to get to sleep, classes start at nine tomorrow morning. I change into my pajamas, and climb into bed. I hope tomorrow Malfoy will be at least a bit more tolerable.

* * *

Credits to _Silver is For Secrets_ by Laurie Faria Stolarz, for the dream scene. I'm in love with that book, and couldn't help but put that scene in here. Of course, I tweaked it to fit the story, because I can't exactly have the names "Stacey" and "Clara" pop up randomly in the chapter.  
Thanks to SiriuslyFunny, who revised for me. Reviews would be very much appreciated!  
'Till next time,  
Jess (Fathomed.Reality) 


End file.
